Folding clothes-rack.



E. M. BLANC K.

FOLDING, CLOTHES RACK. APPLIQATION FILED APE.15,1909.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

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EUGENE 1V1. BLANCK, OF PERKIOMENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING CLOTHES-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

Application filed April 15, 1909. Serial No. 490,104.

To all whom it may come.

Be it known that I, EUGENE M. BLANCK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Perkiomenville, in the county of Montgomery and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in FoldingClothes-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is the pro vision of a rack which is bothportable and foldable and of such construction as to be easily handledand manipulated so as to be turned when in use to admit of articlesbeing applied to the lines and to admit of the rack being convenientlystored when not in use so as to be out of the way and not exposed to thedeteriorating effects of the weather.

The object of the invention is to supply novel mountings for the rackwhereby the same may be quickly placed in position when required for useor disconnected so as to be stored when not required for immediateservice.

The invention also contemplates a unique form of rack which may befolded or extended as desired.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is had to thefollowing description and the drawings hereto attached.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of constructionand combinations of parts as more fully set forth hereinafter, pointedout in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clothes rack embodying the inventionshowing the same in operative position. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of therack, a portion being broken away, the dotted lines showing the samepartly folded. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the mountings for therack. Fig. 4 is a detail section of the center portion of the rack andthe support therefor showing the connecting means. Fig. 5 is a top planview of the mountings.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The rack proper comprises two bars 1 and 2 pivotally connected at acentral point, and a series of lines 3 passed loosely through openings4% formed transversely of the bars 1 and 2. hen the rack is adjusted foroperative position, the bars 1 and 2 are disposed relatively at a rightangle as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 2 and the several lines 3assume a square form. The outermost line 3 is provided with a pair ofknots a to embrace opposite sides of the bars. The remaining lines 3have knots 5 at one side of the bar confined between the pair of knotsThis construction admits of folding the bars 1 and 2 or unfolding thesame by drawing upon the outermost line in one direction or the other aswill be readily understood. The bars 1 and 2 are placed one upon theother to admit of their relative turning. A fastening 6 pivotallyconnects the bars 1 and 2 and is passed through veritcal openings formedtherein. The fastening 6 may consist of an eye bolt as shown mostclearly in Fig. 4 and in addition to pivotally connecting the bars 1 and2 also pivotally connects the rack with a support 7.

Inasmuch as the rack is designed for outdoor use for drying clothing andsundry articles after being laundried it is shown as located exterior tothe window of a dwelling and attached to the window sill 8. A board 9 issecured at its inner end to the window sill and extends outwardlytherefrom in a horizontal direction. A brace 10 connects the board 9with the window sill and an angle iron 11 arranged beneath the inner endof the board 9 connects the same to the window sill. A plate 12 issecured to the top side of the board 9 at the inner end thereof and hasa portion intermediate of its edges raised to form a socket 13 in whichthe inner end of the support 7 is fitted.

The support 7 consists of a bar or strip of wood and is provided nearits inner end with an opening 14 to receive a staple 15 secured to theboard 9. A pin 16 is adapted to secure the support 7 in the locatedposition and passes through the upper end of the staple 15. A fastening17 is applied to the support 7 and is adapted to engage with one of thebars of the rack to hold the same in an adjusted position. The fastening17 consists ofa rod having an intermediate portion crimped or bent intothe form of a crank so as to engage over the inner end of the barresting upon the support 7 so as to secure the rack in the requiredadjusted position. One end of the rod forming the fastening 17 is bentto provide an operating handle 18 which is grasped when operating thefastening either to release or to secure the rack. Staples or likesecuring means connect the fastening to the support 7 and receive endportions of the rod at the sides of the crimp or crank portion. A cordor like connection 19 forms a brace or stay for the outer end of thesupport 7 and is attached to the eye of the fastening 6 and is adaptedto engage with a hook20 provided upon a portion of the window frame atsome distance above the sill.

hen the rack is not required for use the bars 1 and 2 may be relativelyturned so as to rest one upon the other and the support 7 may bedisconnected from the socket 13 and the board it being understood whenthe parts are so folded they occupy a small place and may beconveniently handled or stored in any space so as to be outof the way.hen the rack is set up for use, the inner end of the support 7 isinserted in the socket 13 and the staple 15 extends through the opening1-1, the pin 16 being slotted through the projecting end of the stapleto hold the support 7 in the required position. The bars 1 and 2 areturned so as to occupy a position about at a right angle to each otherand the loose end of the cord or like connection 19 is engaged with thehook 20 thereby holding the rack in proper position. After the portionsof the lines within convenient reach of the window have been suppliedwith articles to be dried or exposed to the air and sun, the rack may begiven a one-quarter turn to bring a new portion of the lines in positionto be supplied with other articles to be exposed either for drying orother purpose. The rack is held in an adjusted position by the fastening1"? which is turned so that the crimp or crank portion engages the innerend of the bar resting upon the support 7 as indicated most clearly inFigs. 1 and The handle 18 is pendent and serves as a weight to hold thefastening in operative position as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawin the advantages of the construction and of the methodof operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art towhich the invention appertains,.. and while I have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the device whichI now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

hat is claimed is- 1. A folding rack comprising superposed bars havingcorresponding transverse openings and a series of lines passed looselythrough the openings and adapted to assume a square form when the barsare turned so as to occupy a position relatively at a right angle toeach other, one of the lines having positive connection with one of thebars and the remaining lines passed loosely through the openings of thebars to admit of the folding and infolding of the rack, substantially inthe manner specified.

2. In combination, a support, means for suspending said support inoperative position, a folding rack comprising crossed bars and a seriesof lines having loose connection with the bars to admit of theirfolding, a fastening pivotally connecting the bars to each other and tothe said support, and a stay connecting said fastening to a supportingstructure.

3, In combination, a support, a rack pivotally mounted upon the supportand comprising a series of bars, and a fastening mounted upon thesupport and adapted to secure the rack in an adjusted position, saidfastening comprising a rod having an operating handle and a crankportion to engage over the end of one of the bars of the rack.

at. In combination, a board arranged to form a horizontal support, anoutwardly facing socket at the inner end of the board, a bar having itsinner end removably inserted in said socket, fastening means between theboard and bar for securing said bar upon the board with its inner end inthe socket, a rack pivotally mounted upon the outer end of said bar, andmeans mounted upon the inner portion of the bar for securing the rackthereto in the required adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE M. BLANCK.

Witnesses ROBERT Gr. Mlonn. Jos. E. BLANGK.

